RUNNING: Waynesboro area runners take part in summer running program

Friday

Jun 28, 2013 at 10:00 AM

So what are you doing with your summer vacation?

Lee Goodwin

WAYNESBORO — So what are you doing with your summer vacation?Well, there’s a hearty group of school-age boys and girls who are out of bed early and running at 7 a.m. as part of the Waynesboro summer running program. There’s no sleeping in for these devoted runners, who participate in the program four days a week.Among them are twin brothers Clay and Colt Foreman.“This is probably the best time to run,” said Colt, who along with his brother will be seniors at Waynesboro Area Senior High School.They’ll be running cross country in the fall, but they’re not waiting until August to get in running shape.“If you don’t do summer runs, you probably won’t run on your own,” Colt said. “I think it’s a good program. It helps you prepare for the season.”WASHS boys and girls cross country coach Walt Hasis started the summer program nine years ago. The founding principle was fairly simple.“When I started it nine years ago, I did it to build up the cross country program,” said Hasis. “It’s designed to drivfe my runners to run in the summer. If I tell them to run on their own, chances are they won’t run.“It gets them ready for the season. If they wait until cross country season to start, it’s too late.”Hasis said the low numbers on the teams nearly a decade ago motivated him to start the conditioning program. He said about 18 to 25 runners attend the morning runs. Runners break into groups, with a coach or volunteer running with them. Courses vary, Hasis said.“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Hasis said of where he runs. “I like to run where there is scenery, like Renfrew. I like to run the backroads.”Runners perform pre-run stretching as part of the morning routine, then run until 8:30 before heading home — arguably, before many of their peers are awake. Hasis said he, along with cross country coaches Jen Atkinson and Angie Fuss, help runners with form, cadence and running gait, all in an effort to pare down times on the standard 3.1-mile courses for the upcoming season. “I’m really excited, because we’re getting a lot more middle school kids and some younger runners involved,” Hasis said. “I make sure everyone gets a running log to see how they are progressing. We also set weekly goals.”Colt Foreman started running two years ago, and with his brother’s help has become a good runner himself. The two also compete in distance events on the track and field team.“I really got him started running, and I pushed him along when he was tired,” Clay said. “Now he pushes me.”Clay said he started running in seventh grade as a sprinter on the track and field team.“Eventually, I got into cross country. It’s just awesome,” he said.Runners got a jump on the summer on June 10. The program continues through Aug. 9, followed by the start of fall practices on Aug. 12. Hasis said runners can still come out and take part, even if they haven’t so far this summer.

Not C-FAR away

Can you believe it? In about two and half months, the 2nd annual ‘Mad Anthony Half’ will be held in Waynesboro.“We’ve been hard at it for almost seven months now,” said event organizer Bob Correll.Volunteer registration opened Friday, June 21. Correll said that based on past experience, “we’ll need approximately 75 volunteers to ensure everything operates smoothly.”Correll said 205 runners are currently registered, and he hopes to add another 100 by race day, which is Saturday, Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.

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